


I'll Fight For You

by scarletladyy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adultery, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-10
Updated: 2012-06-10
Packaged: 2017-11-20 22:29:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/590352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarletladyy/pseuds/scarletladyy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Harry sent Draco an Owl breaking off their relationship, the last thing he expected was for Draco to turn up at the hospital, more determined than ever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Fight For You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Vaysh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vaysh/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Moonlight](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/14342) by vaysh11. 



> Written for hd_remix 2012. This story is set just after Moonlight by the wonderful vaysh11.I was absolutely ecstatic when I found out I was remixing something by vaysh11, and though I read so many of her lovely fics, Moonlight kept coming back to me. Whilst the original is from Draco's point of view, this is from Harry's, and is set immediately after. Thank you to my beta, who I simply could not live without! Vaysh, I really hope you enjoy this. :)

Every now and then Ginny would stir, stopping Harry from wallowing in self-pity for a few moments. Then she'd fall back asleep again and Harry would take one look at the bruises covering her face and the bandages across her body and feel as guilty as he did when he'd first heard about her accident. Perhaps if he'd been there at the match, this wouldn't have happened. At the very least, he would have been there for her, straight away, like a good husband should be.

But no. He'd been on his way to see Draco Malfoy—his childhood enemy—instead. It's not as if Ginny would ever know that Harry hadn't been at the match. She'd been unconscious straight away, the Healers said. Nobody but they would ever know that Harry didn't arrive until she'd been in St Mungo's for a good ten minutes. It doesn't sound like much, but to Harry, that was ten minutes that he wasn't with his wife when she needed him, whether she realised it or not.

There was no other decision, as far as Harry was concerned, except to part ways with Draco. Stop now before they got in too deep and couldn't keep away from each other (again). Stop now before there were any more accidents and feelings of guilt. So the Owl he'd sent had explained everything, how they couldn't be together anymore and that they shouldn't have rekindled their relationship in the first place. He'd told Draco to focus on his engagement, to work on giving his father the heir he'd always wanted, while Harry took care of his own family.

Right now, his family needed him the most. He needed to take care of his wife and make sure his children were being looked after. They were only toddlers and Ginny had just gone back to work. They were finally getting their lives back on track, after the whole sordid affair between Harry and Draco had come out six years ago, until Draco had showed up out of the blue again and Harry had succumbed to his old lover.

Not anymore. He couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't be selfish. So he sat at Ginny's bedside, his hand on her undamaged left one, and tried to think of something to say to her when she finally woke up. Outside he could the Weasley family scurrying about; occasionally looking through the window to see if there was any change. They'd been in the room when they first arrived, five minutes after Harry, but they said they'd leave Harry alone with her, that they didn't want to interrupt.

Percy had taken the children and Harry half wondered if they'd be the same when he got them back. Percy was nice and responsible, but believed in 'organised fun', and while Percy may have instilled that in his own children, Harry and Ginny had not. 

"Excuse me!" The sharp voice of Molly Weasley cut across the hall and Harry turned, looking out the window to see the commotion. "What on _earth_ do you think you're doing here?"

Harry frowned, kissed Ginny's hand and let go. There was only one person he was sure would elicit that reaction from Molly, though he really hoped he wasn't right. 

"I just want to—"

Unfortunately for Harry, he was right. He closed the door to Ginny's room and stood face to face with Draco, who looked as though he hadn't slept since Harry had sent that Owl. 

"Piss off, Malfoy," Ron muttered, too concerned for his sister to react with the anger he usually did. The rest of the Weasley family agreed in quiet murmurs, but everybody, including Draco, was looking at Harry to see what he would do.

"What do you want, Draco?" Harry's voice was tired and strained. With everything else going on, he didn't want to deal with Draco right now.

"We need to talk."

"Not now." Harry turned to go back to Ginny's beside, but Draco rushed forward and grabbed onto his arm. Several of the Weasley's stood, but Harry assured them he was all right with a nod. "Really, Draco, _not now_."

"It has to be now," Draco urged. It was evident he wasn't going anywhere until Harry at least heard him out.

"Why?" Harry challenged, pulling his wrist free.

Draco shrugged. "It just does. If you let me speak you'll understand."

Harry looked at the Weasleys. They were all staring at him, waiting for him to make a move. So he did. "Fine. Five minutes." He turned to Molly, about to ask if she'd watch Ginny and let him know if she stirred, but there was an understanding in her look that told him he didn't need to ask.

There was a quiet waiting room just around the corner, so Harry led Draco to it. He closed the door behind them, a bit harder than necessary, and folded his arms. "What do you want?"

"Aren't you going to sit down?" Draco took the nearest seat and gestured to the one next to him.

Harry repeated his question.

"Your Owl, I—Why?" Draco looked up at Harry with wide, bloodshot eyes. They had bags under them and his hair was unkempt. The my-life-is-falling-apart look didn't exactly fit him.

" _Why_?" Harry arched his eyebrows in disbelief. Surely that was obvious. "My _wife_ is in hospital and she needs me. We can't be together anymore. Bad things happen when we are. Don't you remember last time?"

Draco looked away, still guilt-ridden that he'd been abroad when his mother had died. Harry hadn't fared any better, having nearly lost Ginny and the babies on a night he'd rather forget. Many times he'd come close to Oblivating himself. "Last time we stopped. But that was the wrong choice. This has made me see, made me realise that I need you. You need me. We're meant to be together, Harry. Screw the damn wizarding world and its old traditions. Screw the looks we'll get or the reactions from anyone. I'm prepared to face that for us. Are you?"

They'd been here before, and last time Harry had said no. He hadn't been ready to face the world, hand-in-hand with Draco. Things had been too difficult; Draco was grieving and Harry was having a hard time at home. Ginny had never forgiven him. "What about James and Albus and Lily?"

"What about them?"

"I can't just leave my children, Draco! And Ginny, she's—"

"—having an affair with McLaggen."

There had been many articles in the _Prophet_ about how the Chosen One's wife was cheating on him with that scumbag, but Harry had never believed them. He'd never confronted her about it because there was no need to. Ginny would never, unless... _revenge_.

"Bring your children with you to the Manor. I'll love them as my own, Harry. You know I've always wanted children, just not with someone I didn't love. But I love you, and I can say it now, where I couldn't six years ago. Things are so different now. We shouldn't waste any more time hiding in corners, back alleys and cheap Muggle B&Bs. We're _better_ than that. Don't you owe your wife the truth? Isn't that the kindest thing for her?"

Harry had always been upfront with Draco. Told him he loved him not long after they began their affair. The children were conceived during their fights and break-ups, for they were the only times he ever slept with Ginny, though that didn't mean he loved them any less.

"Then she can be with McLaggen without having to sneak around. None of us will have to keep dirty little secrets anymore."

It seemed as if Draco had been rehearsing this for hours, and it certainly sounded as if he could go on forever. Harry put a hand up to stop him and saw hope in his eyes. What Harry was about to say might dash those hopes, if he made the same choice as he did six years ago. "Ginny would fight for custody, you know. She wouldn't be content sharing with us."

"I know," said Draco. "I'm prepared for that fight too."

Harry frowned. 

"You deserve to live your life how you want. You've certainly earnt it." Draco was continuing his speech again. Every time Harry didn't speak Draco saw fit to carry on, as though he still needed to convince Harry. He didn't. Draco had had him at 'I love you'.

"One month," Harry said, interrupting Draco. "Give me one month. It allows time for Ginny to recover and for me to tell the family. After that, we can be together."

"You mean it this time?" Draco whispered, the fear showing on his face that this might be some cruel joke.

Harry nodded. "I've never meant anything more." He went back to the Weasleys and assured them everything was fine, then sat by Ginny's bedside once more. As he passed the hours holding her hand, waiting for her to wake up, he knew that now Draco had admitted his love they could move on forward. Before, there was no certainty, because Draco couldn't acknowledge his feelings, but now, faced with the choice of a loveless marriage or a man willing to fight for him, Harry realised it wasn't really a choice at all.

_One Year Later..._

"You ready?" Harry asked quietly, watching Draco carefully finger the sugar-bowl. It wouldn't go anywhere until Harry touched it too.

Draco nodded. "Thanks. For coming with me."

"There was never any question. I could hardly let my husband mourn his mother alone." Harry squeezed Draco's glove-covered hand. 

"But apparently a father can let his son grieve alone," said Draco angrily. He was bitter about his father's rejection this morning. Draco had asked Lucius to come with them, but he'd point-blank refused. He blamed their relationship for Narcissa's death (citing 'stress') and said he'd look after the children while they went. He would grieve later, he said. 

While Lucius did not approve of their relationship and was merely cordial with them both, he doted on James, Albus and Lily. He'd always loved children but had never been able to show any affection towards Draco while under the Dark Lord's hold. Harry knew Draco was jealous of the attention they got, though he tried not to show it.

Harry rubbed Draco's back to comfort him and then took his hand. "Shall we go back home? I'm sure James is dying to beat you at wizard chess again."

"Ha," Draco said softly, eyeing his mother's grave one last time before he gestured to Harry to activate the Portkey. "He can try."

They landed just outside the gates of the Manor, for the wards wouldn't allow them any closer. Draco opened the gates and they began to walk up the large gravel drive.

"Hey," Harry said softly. "Ginny's scheduled to return in a few weeks. She's only here for a few days but she wants the children. I said I'd talk to you about it, though she wasn't very happy with that."

"Thanks. But that's fine. I know they can't wait to see her. Lily in particular is always asking about her." Draco laughed. "Who'd have thought Ginny would have gone to Mars?"

Harry smiled. "Best place for her and McLaggen, I say. After she lost the court case she claimed the opportunity was too good to pass up."

"Hardly. There may be a couple more Quidditch teams there now, but I'll bet she got the shock of her life once they got there and she realised what she'd let herself in for."

"Maybe." Harry stopped and sighed, looking up at the house. "I still can't believe she was with McLaggen when she claimed I was the one breaking up the family when she found out about us."

Draco shrugged. "Forget it. If we've learnt anything it's that we can only rely on each other."

"Yeah," Harry mused. "Wait a minute; didn't you say a while back that you nearly went to Mars, instead of St Mungo's?"

"Er." Draco blushed and carried on walking. "I don't know. Come on, I think I hear Lily crying again."

_Any old excuse_ , Harry thought, smiling as they entered the Manor. He was glad Draco had chosen to come to the hospital that day. He couldn't imagine still being trapped in a loveless marriage where his wife was getting off with McLaggen every time he left the house. But he didn't have to, because Draco had been prepared to fight for them, and finally Harry had realised that he had been prepared to fight for them, too.


End file.
